Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: Kate Doak
- Type: Three-masted wooden schooner
- Year Built: 1864
- Builder: Robert Doak
- Dimensions: 68 ft × 19 ft × 6 ft (20.7 m × 5.8 m × 1.8 m); 55 tons
- Registered Tonnage: 55 tons
- Location: Near Pere Marquette (modern Ludington), Lake Michigan
- Official Number: 14062
- Number of Masts: Three
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
A smaller three-masted wooden schooner, likely used for coastal cargo operations along Lake Michigan. Such vessels were common for lumber, coal, or grain transport in mid-19th century.
Description
Standard wooden hull with three-mast schooner rigging. Light-tonnage vessel (~55 tons) suggests modest cargo holds and simple deckhouse structures, suitable for short-haul Lake Michigan routes.
History
Built in 1864 in De Pere, Wisconsin by Robert Doak, Kate Doak served regional trade through the mid-Great Lakes. In November 1867, she encountered a violent storm off the modern Ludington area (then known as Pere Marquette). The storm, exacerbated by reportedly inadequate fastening of hull and rigging components, caused her to founder. Contemporary records vary on casualties, but two or three crew are believed to have perished (linkstothepast.com, greatlakesrex.wordpress.com).
Significant Incidents
- Foundered in a storm, reportedly “poorly fastened”
- Casualties: 2 or 3 crew members lost
Final Disposition
The vessel sank during the storm and was abandoned. No salvage efforts are documented. The exact wreck location remains unknown, presumed in deep water near the shoreline.
Current Condition & Accessibility
No documented discovery. The wreck remains unlocated and presumed undiscovered.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”kate-doak-us-14062″ title=”References & Links”]
Kate Doak’s loss exemplifies the vulnerability of small wooden schooners on Lake Michigan, where storms and structural weaknesses could swiftly become fatal. Launched in 1864, her short service ended in the 1867 gale near Pere Marquette, leaving behind a modest but poignant historical footnote. The lack of surviving records or a found wreck underscores both the challenges of deep-water preservation and mid-19th-century maritime hazards.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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